Element Hunters
Which element has the chemical symbol Au?
Gold
Who invented dynamite and founded the Nobel Prizes?
Alfred Nobel
Why can't you trust atoms?
Because they make up everything!
Which gas makes soda fizzy?
Carbon dioxide
What actually makes popcorn POP?
A) Tiny explosions of oxygen
B) Steam pressure building up inside the kernel
C) The corn gets scared of heat
D) Carbon dioxide escaping
B
What is the most abundant element in the universe?
Hydrogen
Who is known as the father of the periodic table?
Dmitri Mendeleev
What do you call two atoms that fall in love?
A chemical bond!
Which acid gives lemons their sour taste?
Citric acid
Which food is famously a tiny bit radioactive?
A) Marshmallows
B) Cotton candy
C) Bananas
D) Gummy bears
C
Which nonmetal is liquid at room temperature?
Bromine
Which woman won Nobel Prizes in both Physics and Chemistry?
Marie Curie
Which element is a chemist referring to when they laugh by writing "He He"?
Helium
Which metal forms reddish-brown rust when exposed to oxygen and moisture?
Iron
Which metal can melt in the warmth of your hand?
A) Gold
B) Iron
C) Gallium
D) Titanium
C
Which element has the unusual chemical symbol W?
Tungsten
Approximately how many different people won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry from 1901 to 2025: 20, 200, or 2,000?
200 (actually 198)
Which fruit can you spell using the chemical symbols Ba, Na, and Na?
Banana!
Which ion is added to many toothpastes to help prevent cavities?
Fluoride
What is often responsible for the strong 'chlorine smell' at crowded swimming pools?
A) Chlorine reacting with sweat and urine
B) Fish secretly living in the pool
C) Oxygen escaping from water
D) Too much salt
A
Which extremely expensive, radioactive element is named after a US state?
Californium
Which scientist won both a Nobel Prize in Chemistry and a Nobel Peace Prize?
Linus Pauling
A chemist says, "I lost an electron!" Their friend asks, "Are you ___?"
Positive!
What chemical process causes sliced apples to turn brown when exposed to air?
Oxidation (enzymatic browning)
Which animal can spray a hot chemical mixture at its enemies?
A) A penguin
B) A bombardier beetle
C) A flamingo
D) A chameleon
B